There was one parent user who stated that she used a rolled washcloth on the seat itself to considerably solve the slouching problem she had with her 8 months old baby. She found the infant insert to be small and the crotch buckle cannot be adjusted so there was a gap between the infant’s bottom and the buckle.

The Graco My Ride 65 is supposed to accommodate a child weighing up to 40 pounds in rear-facing mode. Its tall shell is supposed to let you use it in this mode for up to three years.

Forward-facing wise, it’s pretty standard as the rest of the basic convertible car seats in its price range.

Installation

The manual stated that a thin blanket, towel or car seat mat be used only to protect the vehicle seat and not in achieving the right angle during installation.

My Ride 65 allows installation of both orientations using either LATCH or vehicle seatbelt. Do not be confused if you encounter some terms like Isofix or Canfix when you research for guides on how this car seat is mounted. They all mean the same thing: LATCH (US), Isofix (EU) and Canfix (Canada).

To facilitate installation in the rear-facing mode, you need to pull the fabric cover up around the area of the cup holder so you can pull up the LATCH strap or the seatbelt rather than pulling it from the outside for achieving better angle when tightening.

The right rear-facing belt path is labeled blue.

You know that the car seat is properly installed if it does not move more than an inch front to back and side to side.

Check the ball in the bubble recline level to make sure it is inside the blue area. The proper level for babies 0-3 months old will be indicated in the light blue area while babies more than 3 months old may use the level indicated by the light blue and dark blue area.

Lap-only seatbelt, as well as lap/shoulder seatbelt, can be used with My Ride 65.

There is a mix of reaction to whether this product can be installed easily.

Those who gave this seat high rating for ease of use reminded about carefully reading and following the instructions on the car seat manual and on the vehicle manual. There are certain seatbelts approved for this product as well as required anchor spacing necessary for a chosen seating location in the vehicle.

If you want it installed in the center seat/position, there must be at least 11 inches of anchor spacing.

How To Install The Graco MyRide 65 Rear-Facing Using LATCH

Prior to installation, you should already have a fitting session with your child in order to correctly position the harness. The harness straps should be at or just below the top shoulder of the child.

How To Install The Graco MyRide 65 Rear-Facing Using Seat Belt

Mounting the MyRide 65 forward facing is quite different from the other car seats because it involves the use of the gray feet under it. These feet should be flipped outwards before placing it on the vehicle seat.

You might also get turned off when you learn about how flimsy the gray feet of this seat is. In case you decide that this is your child’s ride, handle these feet with care.

The appropriate belt path for forward facing is labeled orange. When used in forward-facing mode, the top tether strap should be utilized accordingly to moderate any injury during a crash or a sudden stop.

How To Install The Graco MyRide 65 Forward-Facing Using LATCH

How To Install The Graco MyRide 65 Forward-Facing Using Seat Belt

Difficulty in installation could be caused by various factors. One reviewer mentioned the natural recline of the seat as one of the factors. Although because of the recline, parents need not worry that the child’s head will lean forward when the child falls asleep while sitting in the car seat.

Forward facing installation could also be hard for some with medium to large hands due to its rather narrow forward-facing belt path.

You can find a Side Impact Tested label on the seat, which is lined with EPS energy absorbing foam. Although this product is considerably cheaper compared to other seats that cost hundreds of dollars due to their steel frame and additional safety features, this car seat has been proven effective in safeguarding young passengers during ill-fated accidents.

On ConsumerReports.org, one reviewer gratefully gave this seat a 5-star rating because when they had a single car, high-speed accident and their Ford Escape rolled over, her baby secured in rear-facing My Ride 65 was unharmed even though the adult passengers obtained serious and almost fatal injuries.

Another thankful user of My Ride 65 gave this seat a 5-star rating on Amazon as it saved her daughter from a rollover accident that left her with a broken collar bone.

The MyRide is also certified for airplane use. Still, you can avoid any regrets if you first call the airline (prior to booking and buying) to check if this is indeed acceptable in the airplane.

Take note also that although this can be your ideal travel car seat, it has no handle and cannot be connected to strollers. For your carrying convenience, you should get your own travel accessories like a travel belt or a travel backpack.

The car seat fabric is polyester and while not all polyester fabrics are breathable, this car seat’s cover is reportedly not breathable.

Some parents find the padding too thin. A new set of padding could be ordered from Graco, but the use of additional padding on top of what is already present in the seat is not recommended, even with other brands of car seats. If you want a product with more padding, you should get one that is already padded enough for comfort to begin with.

Although machine washable, the cover must only be air-dried so you cannot readily use the cover again after washing.

There is a headrest pillow ideal for rear-facing, which you can pull up for adjustments. This must be used together with the body support.

The body support that comes with this seat must be utilized only in rear-facing if the shoulders are beneath the lowest harness slot. When you use it, ensure that it is not bunched or folded behind the sitting child.

The two cup holders are great for storing the child’s snacks and drinks, but these are integrated into the seat and thus add to its width.

A downside of MyRide 65 is that its harness straps could cut through the skin of the child passenger since it comes with no strap covers. This means you need to get that separately.

Conclusion

The Graco MyRide 65 can be your chosen baby ride if you base your decision on a need for a convertible seat

with washable cover

with Side Impact Protection

with removable insert

that has an accurate installation indicator (via the bubble/ball level indicator)

that is lightweight

that has cup holders

which, is pretty standard in all basic car seats – no special thing there.

Now Graco MyRide 65 might not be the product you want as your child’s ride because:

it is too wide for your small car or too wide for a 3-across setting

its padding might not be adequate enough for a long ride you are planning

its safety features might not be enough

you could also be worried about the fact that there was a recall years ago for the 25,494 seats manufactured between May 16, 2014, through August 1, 2014

its LATCH system and straps might be hard for you to use and you might only end up in faulty installation that can lead to injuries

Now, if you ask for my take, I would say that this is not my choice for my child’s ride. I would rather purchase other cheaper convertible options with the same or at least similar set of features. It certainly set the trend, but other brands and models have further developed what it started.

I highly suggest that you check out other parents’ feedback on this seat.

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